Pro Bono & Legal Service Organizations

The Capital Region Chapter of the NYCLU is the local arm of
the New York Civil Liberties Union, the state affiliate of the
American Civil Liberties Union. The Chapter is organized to preserve
constitutional freedoms, challenge civil rights violations and expand
the nation's vision of the Bill of Rights' protection for the
individual. It seeks to uphold and expand individual rights in the
community through advocacy, litigation and public education.

The Legal Project is a private, not-for-profit organization
that was founded by the Capital District Women's Bar Association in
1995. It provides a variety of free and low cost legal services to the
working poor, victims of domestic violence and other underserved
individuals in the Capital District of New York State.

The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York is publicly
funded to provide free legal services in civil legal matters to low
income persons in an eight-county service area. Services are provided
according to guidelines established by the Legal Services Corporation
and other grantors. LASNNY provides legal representation to clients in
such areas as housing, government benefits, matrimonial, consumer and
health issues.

Schenectady County Law Library

The Schenectady County Supreme Court Law Library, also known
as the Joseph F. Egan Library, exists as part of the New York State
Unified Court System public access library network. Its mission is to
provide legal reference information, materials and professional library
services to support the needs of the bench, the bar and the general
public. It is open to and welcomes attorneys, students and the public
from 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM daily, Monday through Friday. The library has
an extensive collection of primary New York and Federal materials as
well as treatises, loose leafs, formbooks and other books relevant to
the work of the courts and the legal reference needs of the community.

The Unified Court System provides free wireless access for
personal laptop users in the library and no cost access to commercial
legal databases (WESTLAW, LEXIS, and Lois law) as well as the Unified
Court System’s website Court Help. There are currently two public
access computers and a printer available for online research.
Downloaded material can be printed for a nominal per page charge or
emailed. The computers are used on a thirty minute first come first
serve basis. In addition, appointments can be made in advance to
reserve online legal research time by calling 285-8518.